Hat box



Patented Feb. 29, 1944 UNITED STATES. IPA-TENT OFFICE John LewisAnderson, New York, N. Y. Application September 18, 1942 Serial No.458,918 7 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a hat box, of the type intended for storage ofhats or the like either at home or in a store. It is at presentcustomary to keep hats, when put away in a closet, either in theconventional hat box (square or rounded,

commonly in use, resulting in the same moonvenience unless resort is hadto the expensive alternative of providing a separate shelf for each rowof boxes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hat box which can beopened in front without disturbing in any way objects on top of the box.

A further object is to provide such a box in which the contents is keptfully protected while being readily accessible.

Another object is to provide such a box which will be simple andinexpensive to manufacture while having sufficient durability to makeits use practical both in homes and in stores, in place of the boxes nowin use as described above.

Another object is to provide certain improvements in the form,construction, and arrangement of the parts whereby the above named andother objects may effectively be attained.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 represents, in perspective, the hat box in its normal closedposition;

Fig. 2 represents, in perspective, the hat box with its front doorlifted to open position;

Fig. 3 represents, in perspective, the hat box with its inner slidepartially drawn out;

Fig. 4 represents, in perspective, the hat box with its inner slidefully drawn out and tipped downward, for removing or replacing the hat;

Fig. 5 represents a transverse vertical section through the hat box withits inner slide in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the hat boxwith the parts in closed position as shown in Fig- Referring to thedrawing, the box comprises vertical side walls I, a flat top 2, a fiatbottom 3 and a vertical back wall 4, all permanently and rigidly securedtogether. The open front of the box thus formed is closed by a door 5,hinged one-s) along its top edge 6 to the front edge of the top 2, forinstance by means of a stripof fabric or other flexible material I, andprovided with a handle 8 for convenience in opening.

At or near the fixed bottom 3 of the box is located, an inner slide (orsliding bottom) 9, which may desirably be hinged fat Ill to a strip H,and "guideway llmay be provided at a suitable distance above the bottom3 to permit easy sliding of the slide 9 into and out of the box.Complete removal of the slide from the box is prevented by the straps ortapes l3'which have one end secured to the hinged strip II and the otherend secured to the bottom or back of the box; said straps or tapes beingof a length sumcient to permit drawing out the slide 9 and strip I Ionly to the position shown in Fig. 4, and having such flexibility thatthey will fold or collapse out of the way of the slide, as shown inFigs. 5 and 6, when the box is closed. A suitably shaped hat support ismounted on the slide 9, and a tab or handle l5 may also be provided.

The straps or tapes [3 are shown as a convenient and economical meansfor limiting the outward motion of the slide, but it will be evidentthat other means might be provided, such'as projections on the strip I Iarranged to catch against stops on the outer ends of the guideways I! oron the sides or bottom of the box.

The operation of the box is made clear from the foregoing descriptionand it"will be under- I stood that various changes may be made in the 1.A box of the character described comprising, side, top, bottom and backwalls secured together to form an open-front unit, an inner slidingmember adapted'to rest normally adjacent said bottom wall within saidunit and to be withdrawn to extended position substantially entirelyoutside of said unit, a hinge strip connected to the rear edge of thesliding member, and means for stopping the outward motion of saidsliding member when its-rear edgeis approximately at the front edge ofsaid bottom wall and when the hinge strip is still within said unit.

2. A box of the character described comprising, side, top, bottom andback walls secured together to form an open-front unit, a front doorelement hinged to the front edge of said top wall and adapted to swingoutward and upward to open position, an inner sliding member adapted torest normally adjacent said bottom wall within said unit and to bewithdrawn to extended position substantially entirely outside of saidunit, a hinge strip connected to the rear edge of the sliding member andmeans for stopping the outward motion of said sliding member when itsrear edge is approximately at the front edge of said bottom wall andwhen the hinge strip is still within said unit.

3. A box of the character described, comprising, side, top, bottom andback walls secured together to form an open-front unit, an inner slidingmember adapted to rest normally adjacent said bottom wall within saidunit and to be withdrawn to extended position substantially entirelyoutside of said unit, guide strips secured to said unit in position tooverlie the side edges of said sliding member, and means for stoppingjacent said bottom wall within said unit and to be withdrawn to extendedposition substantially entirely outside of said unit, a hinge stripconnected to the rear edge of the sliding member, guide strips securedto said unit in position to overlie the side edges of said slidingmember and the ends of said hinge strip, and means for stopping theoutward motion of said sliding member when its rear edge isapproximately at the front edge of said bottom wall and when the hingestrip is still within said unit and below said guide strips.

5. A box according to claim 1 in which the stopping'means comprises aflexible strap or tape secured at one end to the unit and at the otherend to the hinge strip.

6. A box according to claim 2 in which the stopping means comprises aflexible strap or tape secured at one end to the unit and at the otherend to the hinge strip.

'2. A boxoaccording to claim 3 in which the stopping means comprises aflexible strap or tape

